Earthquake School Drill at the “Selami Hallaqi” Primary School in Gjilan/Gnjilane

The year 2013 marks the 50th anniversary of the devastating Skopje Earthquake (1963) which had a major impact also in Kosovo. Currently the Kosovo Institute of Seismology is a sector of the Mining Department within the Ministry for Economic Development and is lacking capacity in terms of staff and resources. Children at school are not trained how to behave in case of earthquakes, no school drills are being organized and there is a lack of initiative at local level to do such preparedness activities. The most at risk Municipality from earthquakes according to Earthquake Risk Assessment Map in Kosovo is the Municipality of Gjilan/Gnjilane.

On 5th December 2013, The International Volunteer Day, UNDP Kosovo, UN Volunteer Programme in Kosovo, Save the Children and IFRC in partnership with Emergency Management Agency/Ministry of Internal Affairs, Red Cross of Kosova and Municipality of Gjilan/Gnjilane organized an Earthquake School Drill in order to support the Municipality of Gjilan/Gnjilane in capacity development for disasters such as earthquakes are.

Beside the preparatory workshops that were organized for teachers, school technical personnel and the local emergency management authorities (Police, Firefighters, etc.), a specific scenario was drafted to involve all relevant authorities at the exercise. Every official authority had its role and responsibility during the earthquake drill.

Emergency evacuation plans, information posters on how should a student behave during an earthquake and fire, child specific brochure, fire distinguishers are some other emergency preparedness and management asset which was provided to the school as necessary elements of a safe school building.

UNDP thanks all involved national and internationals partners at this exercise for the excellent work and collaboration.